We must save Pannir from execution in Singapore

Pannir Selvam Pranthaman is a 38-year-old Malaysian on death row in Singapore for trafficking 52g of diamorphine. He was not a kingpin nor a drug lord but a man caught in a web of poverty, desperation, and manipulation.

Back in 2020, BFM interviewed the sister of Pannir Selvam and human rights lawyer Latheefa Koya about Pannir’s journey and the need to abolish the death penalty. Now, nearly four years later, the fight to save him has reached its most critical moment.

According to his former lawyer, M Ravi, Pannir will be executed tomorrow, 20 February. In a recent Facebook post, Ravi shared that Pannir’s sister had received a letter from the prison confirming his execution.

Hayat, an NGO working on rehabilitative and restorative justice, released a statement that reads: “His status as a courier was acknowledged by Singapore courts, and he provided extensive information to authorities during the investigation. The information was also given to Singaporean authorities by the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) through his family via a police report.”

Despite the years-long efforts of his family and activists, his fate remains unchanged.

Hayat CEO Dobby Chew joins BFM to discuss if there is still room left to save Pannir and if the war on drugs and the death penalty solves the problem of drug trafficking.

Presented and produced by: Dashran Yohan/BFM